Last analyzer



Sept. 8, 1925. 1,552,730

M. 1.. PREBLE LAST ANALYZER Filed March 11, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m A (AZ-Z1? 07' reg Sept. 8, 1925.

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M. L. PREBLE LAST ANALYZER Filed March 11 19 9 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 'llWillHlllllilllllllhllliiii' Patented Sept. 8, 1925.v

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

MERION LESLIE PEBBLE, or AUBURN, MAINE.

LAST ANALYZER.

Application filed March 11, 1919. Serial- N0. 281,946.

Improvements in Last Analyzers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

In the manufacture of shoes much difficulty has been experienced in the past in V practically applying the standardizations whichhave been worked out, and generally adopted by manufacturers. I

7 My present invention lllVOlVQS a system of application or a basis of utilization of such standards and affords both a manner and a means of critically or analytically dealing with shoe lasts whether for the purposes of the original production of lasts or for the correction of lasts found upon testto require modification. p

In considering this invention it is necessary to bear in mind that the last is initially a foot model, secondly, a basis of slioe'pattern, and, third, a construction form on which the uppers out from the pattern pro duced from the last are made up for embodiment into the shoe. I I I have analyzed the difficulties heretofore experienced by the trade as having origin principally in the inherent nature of the last. The last by its Very nature is what we may call a dismounted or detached body of indefinite base and of a relation to the plane of tread varying according to the style of shoe which the manufacturer may elect to build on the last. In other words, until a last has its position definitely determined as to the plane of tread, i. e., to the plane of the heel and sole of the shoe which is to be made on it, the analysis of the correct ness of its proportion and dimensions can. not be definitely determined. Even if upon test a last is found to be incorrect after having been tried. out, such defects can not at present be readily or accurately or scientifi cally specified for correction. V

In order to locate and determine the points to be included in accurate measurement of ball, waist,instep or heel, the marking on the last of certain points has been established. These bear relation to the longitudinal dimensions of the last. The location of such points, however, as above pointed out, vary in dilferentpositions in which the last might beheld relative to the. horizontal plane,

My invention} contemplates broadly the establishment of a last in a predetermined I or desired, position to the horizontal. ,It also contemplates the scaling of Y certain points of the last relative to suchposition. It provides forthe marking of the 'locating points for standard measurements and tliroughout'is permissive for such adjustments, observations and measurements, as to definitely determine, both points of prevention and elements of errorfso as to.estab lish between the manufacturer and the last maker a definite basis-from which each may work without the possibility of misunder-i standing or miscoiistruction.

Marking devices for lasts been provided, but none so far as known to me effect such marking with reference .to the ultimate "position ofthe shoe, as influenced by height at breast, wedge of heel, or-

toe spring.

have heretofore In so fargas my invention involves novel procedure, I shall treat it under the double aspect of verification oforiginal construc tion, and second, analysis of ehanges'necessary for modification or criticism of error;

' All this may be advantageously discussed in connection with the means which makes.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus for the practice of my" invention, showing a last in position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the same.

Fig. ;3 is a view of a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

v-Fig. 1s a View taken of a section 4.-4:

of-F-ig. Llooking in the opposite direction, and Fig. 5is a plan view of myapparatus. I -My apparatus consists of a bed or way 1 having turned up portions '2 and 3 at oppo site ends thereof to which are bolted leg members 4 and 5. The wayl is formed with a shouldered slot 6 as shown in Fig. 4c.

The open frame 7 is adjustably mounted ona baseflportion 8'which bears against the .lowerfiface of the way 1,-being held and guided thereon by a slide pieoe 9 which fits within th slot 6 and lies flush with the top of the way. The piece 9 is bolted through the open slotted bottom of the way 1 intc the iece 8. y

T e open frame 7 is guided on the memher 8 in a suitable central way and is adjustable thereon by a screw 9 turned by a knurled head 10 and threaded into the base portion 7 of the frame 7. At the upper part of the open frame 7 is a slideway formed as a bracket 72 slotted longitudinally to receive a clamp screw 10 which is tapped into the base 11 of the instep marker 19 and permits it to be adjusted longitudinally a whole. The bracket plate 72 and base 11 are scaled at s The plate 11'- is provided at one end with an up-turned flange 12 within which is screwed, a guide sleeve 13 held by a clamp nut 13" and through which a squared scale bar 17' scaled asgindicated at S is UKlGCl see Figs, 2'and 4. The sleeve 13 is external-- ly threaded as indicated at 13, Fig. 2, to cooperate with an internally threaded sleeve by means of which the bar 17 may be ad ju sted longitudinally upon rotation of the sleeve 15, said bar having bearing in said sleeve 1'5- at its rear end as indicated at 16.;

Fig. 2. The bar 17' is carried forward and terminates in a T-shaped head 18 slotted at 18 and sealed at W for the lateral ad justment of the instep marker 19. The brad 19 is shouldered at 20 and supported by a spring 21 contained within the tubular mem ber 22. The tube 22 is undercut at 23 to flush within the laterally undercut slot of the head 18, being clamped in desired ad justed position by the knurled nut 2-1.

Through these various adjustments the brad 19 may be accurately positioned over the cone of the last Las indicated in Fig. l.

The member 8 is carried baclr underneath the way 1 and is laterally channeled as indicated at 25 Figure 2, to receive a pair of pieces 2525 are pushed into the lateral groove in the member 8 from opposite sides and are reversible in such way for the marking of the rigl'it and left of a pair of lasts. For reversal they are simply withdrawn and are positioned side by side in the way reversed so as to bring the one which was in advance of the other to the rear of the other in second position.

The open frame 7 with its slide member 8 is moved and adjusted along the way 1 by a threaded feed bar turned by a milled head 31, said feed bar being threaded through the base of the up-turned portion 2 of the way 1.. The end of the threaded bar 30 is swiveled at 32 into the slide piece 9 which is bolted as previously described to the block 8. The movements of the elements carried. by 7 and 8 by the adjustment of feed bar 30 are relative to a size scale S as appears in plan view in Fig. 5. This determines for the given size a proper position of the opposed prick points 29.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings there are three sets of scales S, one for men and boys indicated by the arrow M, one for women indicated by the arrow W, and one for misses, children and infants indicated by the arrow C, Fig. 1. The slide bar 17 for determining the position of the instep marker 19 is scaled to read at the clamp nut 13 of the sleeve 13. Inasmuch as the height of the heel varies the position of the ball neasure, it becomes necessary to provide such readings on the block 9 so as to secure accuracy on the way scale. This amounts to a setting off of the element of variation and I therefore provide corresponding markings on the plate 11 relative to a mark on the plate 72 by which a required additional amount may be set off so that the reading of the scale S on the graduated bar 17 at the clamp nut 13 of the sleeve 13 willshow the proper size for any given heightof heel.

traded on the way 1 is a block 10 held in the guide way 6 by superimposed slide piece 4.1 bolted through the slot of the guide way into the block l0. The block carries in a vertical way a toothed bar 4I-2wvith a T-shepcd head 13 at its upper end. "The toothed bar i2 is supported, raised and lowred in the blocs 40 by a pinion on shaft 415011 which is carried a ratchet whee 16 engaged by a pawl 47. This permits tlr adjustment of the support to any heigh' of heel desired. The head 43 supports the last at the breast of theheel.

The block 41 has a pointer mark which reads on a scale 5' on the upper face of the way 1. This scale indicates the proper position longitudinally of the way 1 of the breast of the heel for given size of shoe.

At the opposite end of the machine from the knurledbar head 31 and formed in the lip-turned end 3 is a slideway in which is guided a block 51 on which there is a stepped piece or shoulder 52. The block 51, is adjusted vertically in the slideway by a screw 53 swiveled at 54 and threaded through the block 51 so as to raise or lower it. The proper amount of wedge for the last in question is determined by reading the height of the shoulder 52 on a scale S and taking differences between that and the scale S on the bar 12 read in the level of the way 1.

Slidably mounted on the way 1 is member having an upright 61 on which is a scale 7 S. This upright 61 may be pushed up to the toe of the last as indicated in Fig. 1 and the spring of the toe or height of the lowest Furportion of the tip of the toe above the plane of the way 1 .OIr'Wl1iCh the ball of the last raised by the head 43 to a proper height at the breast for the heel which ,hejdesires that last to carry. The shoulder 52 is then run upunder the heel plate at the back-of the last. The scale S is then read relative to the scale S the difference indicating whether the last requires moreor less wedge in the heel or is all right. The scale S "is then slipped up to the toe of the last and the amount of spring of the toe determined. Tlns again enables the manufacturer to 1111- mediatelydetermine whether the spring 18 all right or whether he requiresmore or less spring in the toe of'the last which he is about to order. Itis then desirable to verify the last as to the usual'standard of measurement. 7 I

Thecentral elements 7 and 8 are adjusted 1 horizontally'o-f the slideway having been set for the given size of the last and the pieces 25 having been suitably adjusted. The prick points 29. areimpinged against the opposite sides of the last thus indicating the proper place at which the ball measurement should be taken. The point 19 having been brought by suitable adjustments so that the size reads.

ofi correctly for theheight ofthe heel, the point 19 is then impingeduponthe "last provided that it lies directly over the cone of the last. If it should" be found that the point did not center on the cone of the last, then the point may be adjusted and the'amount and direction of error. from the standard for which the machine was set noted. This enables a manufacturer to instruct the last maker to move the cone of the last which he is going to make, either out or in. With the point 19 adjusted for the proper size of heel, the last is punched to indicate the proper point at which the heel and instep measurements should be taken.

By similar use of the machine the examiner is able to test and verify that these corrections have been carried out by the last maker. If corrections have not been carried out he is able to detect at once and liability is thrown on to the maker for lasts not in accordance with specification.

With such a machine and any reasonable amount of care, the last maker can be able to supply lasts absolutely to specification. It is of corresponding value to the last maker inasmuch as it enables him to get definite and specific specifications from his customers and properly apply them and thus avoid any liability on his part.

\Vhilethe uses above poin ted outare at present considered to be the most important,

various otheruses may and doubtless will develop in the industries. In like-manner, While'the machine shown has been found well adapted to the industry, various modi fications in its form and construction and in arrangement of parts may all be made with out departing from the spirit of my inven tion if within the limits of the appended claims. a

What I therefore claim and desire to'se 'cure'by Letters Patent is:

1. In a, device of the class described, a base comprising a slide way, ascaled heel marker atone end thereof, a scaled support for the breast of a last adjustable on said way relative to said heel member, and I a scaled toe member mounted on said way for relative ad ustment to said heel member, a slide piece on said slide way, lateral markers reversibly mounted in said piece, an

open frame. vertically} adjustable on said slide piece,;a marker bar longitudinally adjustable parallel to said way, a head on said bar and a marker point adjustable laterally ofsaid head. V; I

. 2. In a last analyzer, a scale provided support for the last at the breast of the heel, and a scale provided support for the heel at the back of the last readable with reference tot-he scale of the first-named support to 'inv dicate the wedge of the heel.

-3. In a last analyzer, a. scale provided vertically adjustable support for the last at the breast of the heel, and a scale provided vertically adjustable support for the heel at the back of the last readable withreference to the scale of the first-named supportto in-' dicate the wedge of the heel.

4. In a last analyzer, a. scale provided support for elevating the last to the height of the heel that the shoe will carry, and a scale provided support engageable under the heel at the back of the last and readable with reference to the scale of the first-named support to indicate the wedge ofthe heel.

5. In a last analyzer, a scale provided support for elevating the last to the height of the heel that the shoe will carry, a scale provided support engageable under the heel at the back of the last and readable with refer ence to the scale of the first named support to indicate the wedge of the heel, and a scale adjustable against the toe of the las heelplate at the back of the last, and a scale assooiated with said third-named sup port and comparable with said firstnamed scale to indicate the wedge of the heel.

7. In a last analyzer, a. base having a longitudinally extending slidewa-y, a support for the last at the heel breast adjustable in said slideway, a support for the heel at the back of the last mounted on said base, scales associated with said supports and readable relative to each other for determining the wedge of the heel, a scale-provided slide adjustable in said slideway towards the toe of the last to indicate the spring of the toe, and a slide adjustable in said slideway between said heel breast support and said toespring indicating slide and provided with markers for indicating ball measurements of the last.

8. In a. last analyzer, a base having a longitudinally extending slideway, a support for the last at the heel breast adjustable in said slideway, a support for the heel at the back of the lastn'iounted on said base, scales associated with said supports and I readable relative to each other tor determining the wedge of the heel, a scale-provided slide adjustable in said slideway towards the toe of the last to indicate the spring of the toe, a slide adjustable in said slideway between said heel breast support and said toe spring indicating slide, and providedwith markers for indicating ball measurements of the last, and an upwardly extending frame adjustable in said slideway and provided with a marker for locating the instep of the last. i

9. In a last analyzer, a base having a longitudinally extending slideway, a support adjustable in said slideway, and an instep marker carried by said sup-port.

10. In a last analyzer, a base having a longitudinally extending slideway, a slide adjustable in said slideway, a frame mounted on said slide and adjustable vertically relative thereto, and an instep marker carried by said frame.

11. In a last analyzer, a base having a longitudinally extending slideway, a slide adjustable in said slideway, a. frame mounted on said slide and adjustable vertically relative thereto, an arm carried by said frame, and an instep marker carried by said arm and adjustable transversely relative thereto.

12. Apparatus for determining the wedge of the heel of a last under analysis, comprising a scale provided support for elevating the last to the height of the heel that the last will carry, and a second scale pra vided support insertable under the heel at the back of the elevated last, and readable in reference to the scale of the firstqiamed support to determine the wedge of'the heel.

13. Apparatus for determining the wedge of the heel and the spring of the toe of a last under analysis, comprising a scale-provided support for elevating the last to the height of the heel that the last will carry, a second scale-provided support insertable under the heel at the back of the elevated last and readable with reference to the scale of the firstnamed support to determine the wedge of the heel, and a scale movable against the toe of the elevating last to determine the spring of the toe.

14. Apparatus for determining the spring of the toe otalastunder analysis,comprising a support for elevating the last at the back of the heel to the height of the heel that the last will carry, and a scale-provided support adjustable against the toe of the elevated last to determine the spring of the toe.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MER-ION LESLIE PREBLE. 

